In many books that you have read, no doubt you have been instructed to
'create sacred space' or 'cast a circle' and may have felt confused about
just what, exactly, you were supposed to do and why. Creating sacred space
or casting a circle means that you are changing the energy configuration of a
room or space within a room to an energy which is neutral, cleansed of any
extraneous vibrations that may not be helpful or may even be jarring to the
ritual or ceremony that you are about to perform. Casting a circle contains,
focuses and intensifies the energies that you will raise during your rite.
By clearing, cleansing and sealing a space for your rites, the magickal
energy can be contained and built up for the proper moment of release into
the universe.
You cleanse and focus the energies within the shape of a circle because it is
in a circular motion that magickal energies move. Just as our planet is
round, it also rotates in a circular motion each day and moves in a circular
motion around the Sun. Haven't you noticed that when you let the water out
of your bathtub, the water swirls in a circle as it moves down the drain?
The creating of sacred space or casting of the circle can be as complex or as
simple as you want it to be. The main components regardless of the way you
choose to do it are that you lay out the size of your space, mark the
perimeters, cleanse the interior and take it down or release the energies at
the end of your ritual.
Before you begin your ritual, you will need to decide if it is an internal or
external working. In other words, is it a working that affects your
subconscious mind like one to recall past life memories or to rid yourself of
bad habits? Then it is an internal working - it affects you internally. If
it is a ritual to affect the world around you - a prosperity spell or one to
find the perfect job or home - then it is an external working. The reason
you care is that for internal workings you will create your sacred space by
directing the energies in an anti-clockwise (widdershins) direction which
help to draw the energies inward. For external workings you will create your
sacred space by moving and directing the energies in a clockwise (deosil)
direction which spread and send energy outward.
If you will be casting your circle inside, clear the room of chairs, tables
and anything that might obstruct your movements in any way as you move around
the circle. If you will be outside, clear the area of rocks and sticks that
you might painfully step on and choose a location which is relatively flat.
Assemble all the necessities of your rite (your candles, incenses, oils,
magickal tools, charcoal, matches, salt, water and any odd & ends you want)
on your altar which will be set up in the center of the circle facing north.
When you set up your altar, place all of your tools on it in a balanced
manner and put one lit white candle (called the Flame Candle) in the center
of the altar. In each of the directions, place a candle at the edge of your
circle for the Quarters.
You will begin by going to the north or east quarter of your circle. You
will decide for yourself which quarter or direction you begin in - some
people who practice a Nature oriented spirituality begin in the north, others
who follow western ceremonial magickal traditions begin in the east for it is
there that the sun rises). If you use a ritual knife, raise it high into the
air above your head and begin filling it with energy from the universe around
you, then drop your arm pointing the knife at the ground and send energy out
of the knife into the ground, tracing the perimeter of the circle in a line
of energy as you walk the inside of the perimeter, making sure you are
marking out enough space to work in comfortably. If you do not use a knife,
simply raise your writing arm over your head, fill yourself with energy and
then drop your arm sending the energy out of your hand as you mark the
perimeter of the circle.
Go to the altar in the center of your circle and pour some spring or
distilled water into your chalice, then add 3 or 4 pinches of salt (for the
element Earth). Go to the North or the East (wherever you started when you
drew out your Circle - and sprinkle the salt/water as you walk the Circle
completely, feeling the elements of Earth and Water cleansing the area and
balancing it. If you wish to add a chant as your cleanse the Circle, it can
help you to concentrate and visualize the cleansing even better. Return to
the altar and light your charcoal in your incense burner with the white Flame
Candle. Let the charcoal ignite completely then drop a small amount of
incense onto it (this can be the incense specifically for your rite or a
traditional cleansing incense such as frankincense or sage leaves). Go to
the same starting quarter in the North or East and cense the circle as you
walk the perimeter again with your incense burner. This represents the
elements Fire and Air. Again, feel the elements of air and fire cleansing
the area and balancing it.
Now it is time to invoke the Quarters. This means that you are inviting the
energies of each of the elements, Earth, Air, Fire and Water, to bring power
and balance to your circle. Earth is associated with the North quarter, Air
is associated with the East quarter, Fire is associated with the South
quarter and Water is associated with the West quarter. Once again, go to
your starting quarter. Meditate on the qualities of that element (see energy
associations below). There are many ways that you can invoke the quarters.
You may wish to concentrate on the divine nature of that quarter and verbally
or mentally address a deity of the element in your invocation. For example,
you may wish to invoke the Earth goddess, Danu, for that quarter. Or you
could address the quarter as 'Lord of the Earth'. Or, perhaps the animal
correspondence strikes a responsive chord in you. Then you could begin by
saying 'Great Bull of the North'. Use the correspondence that means the most
to you and that seems the most appropriate to the rite you are doing. Don't
mix correspondences, though. If you begin with a deity, invoke a deity for
each quarter; if you begin with the animal association, use the animal
associations for each quarter. As you are meditating on the element, light
the candle in that quarter with the flame candle, pause and then go on to the
next quarter. Again, meditate on the qualities of that element and then
light its candle. Do this at each quarter.
After each quarter has been invoked, return to the altar and light the altar
candles. Put out the Flame Candle and set it beneath the altar. Now your
sacred space is created, cleansed and balanced - it is time to begin your
rite. When your ritual is finished, it is time to release the energies
creating the perimeter of your circle. Go to the quarter in which you began
(north or east) and either verbally or mentally thank the powers of that
element for attending your rite, then extinguish that quarter's candle. Do
this at each quarter and finally extinguish the candles on your altar.
Those directions were for a more formal casting. If you wish to create
sacred space in a less formalized fashion, you can stand in the center of the
space that you will be using for your ceremony and connect your energies with
those of the earth. With steady, quiet breathing, absorb into your body the
energies of the earth and then project from your solar plexus (diaphragm)
this energy while slowly turning until you have completed a circle around
your self. As you turn, visualize the energy flowing from you in a band of
light and project it far enough into the space to give yourself plenty of
room to work. After you have completed your ritual, stand again in the
center of the space, turn slowly and release the energy which has formed the
perimeter of your circle back into the earth.
QUARTER CORRESPONDENCES:
• NORTH: Stabilizing, grounding; Color = Deep green; Animal = Bull; Element = Earth
• EAST: Clear thought, comprehension; Color = Yellow; Animal = Eagle; Element = Air
• SOUTH: Energizing, transforming; Color = Scarlet; Animal = Lion; Element = Fire
• WEST: Compassion, intuition; Color = Blue; Animal = Dolphin; Element = Water
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